News Article

New Issue Brief on Key Issues in LTSS Quality

November 21, 2017

A new issue brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation focuses on "Key Issues in Long-Term Services and Supports Quality." As 2017 is the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Nursing Home Reform Act, which substantially strengthened federal standards and enforcement of nursing home quality, the brief discusses where progress has been made as well as where there is still room for improvement. The brief also acknowledges the shift in the last several decades to home care and other community-based services and the need for quality measures in those settings. This issue brief discusses four key issues related to long-term services and supports (LTSS) including institutional and home and community-based services (HCBS) quality, highlighting major legislative and policy changes over the last 30 years. The four key issues identified are:

How is long-term services and supports quality regulated?

What is the state of long-term services and supports quality today?

What is not known about long-term services and supports quality?

What are the current challenges in long-term services and supports quality oversight?

The Consumer Voice envisions a world in which all consumers of long-term care, services and supports are treated with respect and dignity and have a wide range of affordable, quality options across all settings.